Baby Sling Smackdown

Baby Carriers & Baby Slings Reviewed!Hi Amy,
It seems like there are a million slings on the market these days and I can’t decide which ones to get. Perhaps you and your helpful readers could help a girl out? Since I’m assuming that a sling smackdown is not cards at the moment.
I had a Over the Shoulder Baby Holder with my first son. And I liked it fine, except it was kind of hot during the summer since I got the plain black one. Duh! Anyway, its gone now since I thought we were done having kids. Heh! I could replace it but I’m thinking there are probably better options out there. Except, I try to research and I get bombarded with the 50 million options. Ack!
So I’ll be having my baby in July. I’m thinking maybe a ring sling for when he’s tiny like perhaps a Maya Wrap or not…I don’t know! And then maybe something like an Ergo for when he’s bigger. But I am completely open to suggestions because I’d hate to cough up the cash and then find out my choices sucked!
I am not feeling the wraps with their hundred feet of fabric that I have to use to construct my own sling. Um, no. And I’m on the curvy (read chubby) side with an ample bosom. So of course, what works for skinny minnie you might not for me, etc.
Suggestions, tips, rants of sucky slings to avoid?
And also, dude….do I really need a double stroller? My older son will turn 3 a couple months before the new baby is born. And frankly, we’ve probably used his stroller only twice in the last 12 months. I just don’t see the need but maybe I’m in denial.
Thanks!
Michelle
Yep. Yep. To all of it. I asked my readers once for baby carrier & sling recommendations and also got bombarded with 50 million options. Every single solitary sling on the market was probably recommended at least once, and then for every rave review there was someone else who hated that same sling. Hated it!
So. Guess what! There’s a lot of trial and error to this baby-wearing thing, a lot of personal preference (and baby preference) and my only guiding advice would be to LEAVE TAGS ON and SAVE RECEIPTS and basically make sure you can return something if, say, your postpartum boobs require a different size than you thought or your baby absolutely will not tolerate a certain style or fabric. Try things on, find a local sling support/how-to group, ask the opinions of trusted Internet advice columnists.
Oh, wait. That’s me! Okay, here are the carriers I have loved and a couple I have hated:Baby Bjorn: This is what we used with Noah, although we cheaped out and bought the really basic model, without the additional strap/support across your lower back (I think that upgraded one is called the Active, and my sister LOVED hers). Mistake! As soon as your baby puts on a little bit of chub, the carrier starts feeling like you’re wearing a backwards backpack and puts a ton of strain on your shoulders. And Noah outgrew the maximum length of the Bjorn really, really quickly. (He WAS 95th percentile, though.) That said, it’s a really EASY carrier to use — ours got a second life this time around with our babysitter. She loved it.The New Native Baby Pouch: This was my belated attempt at a sling for Noah. I bought it in New York City simply because it was THERE and FOR SALE and I wanted to kill my stroller. Like, punt it down the subway steps and club it with a baseball bat. So I bought a sling. He was a bit old for it and I felt afterwards like I probably bought a size too small. I used it two or three times, max.
This time, though. Oh, man, did I love that thing. It is about as basic as you can get in the pouch-style carriers. Over your shoulder, line up the seam under your boob, smush baby in there all fetal-style. It was PERFECT for a newborn. PERFECT for a newbie sling person. No buckles or rings or padding or wrapping…or any size adjustment options at all. Eeee. And this became a problem, once Ezra started heading up the growth charts as well — like I suspected before, I really did need the next size up. It’s just too darn tight. SO annoyed at myself.Hotsling: Speaking of sizing issues! I bought this one while I was pregnant with Ezra, although I really don’t know why, since it’s essentially the same as the New Native. Another basic pouch carrier, although available in pretty pretty fabrics. (Like you, I was really not interested in complicated, wrap-around-your-body, ultra-adjustable slings.) I SWEAR, according to the sizing charts, this thing SHOULD have fit me. I wasn’t in between sizes or anything. Way too big. Ezra always hung too low on my torso and it had a tendency to slip off my shoulder. (Which is weird, since the user reviews on the sling usually complain that they run small.) The fabric was also really rough and scratchy, although perhaps a few more washings may have softened it up. I didn’t bother to keep trying and passed it along to Isabel to try, since it ended up being beyond redundant, BECAUSE OF…The Rockin’ Baby Sling: This one was a gift, purchased on the recommendation of the fine ladies at Cool Mom Picks. And yes, it’s another freaking pouch carrier. BUT. Unlike the New Native or the Hotsling, it adjusts, via a hidden panel of zippers. This helps give this sling a best-of-both worlds quality — still pretty idiot-proof to use, but more flexible for different baby sizes and carrying positions. AND Jason and I can both use the same sling. (It’s also reversible, so I can wear the pretty design side out and Jason can flip it around to the basic brown color.) Totally awesome and highly recommended.
And finally…The Ergo Carrier: We bought this one as an upgrade to the Bjorn, mostly for Jason who was a little apprehensive about the slings. (He still sometimes thinks the baby is always about to fall out.) We bought the newborn insert as well…and never used the blasted thing. It sat in the closet because WOW, that’s a LOT of carrier for a VERY LITTLE BABY. The DVD confounded us (it makes it sound like if you snap a single buckle out of order your baby will fall out and hit the pavement) and when something confuses me I tend to give up. It looked at first like the Ergo was a tremendous waste of money.
Now, of course, I couldn’t live without it. You will have to pry the Ergo off my cold dead torso. Ezra’s gotten a little…feisty…about the fabric pouches and doesn’t always want to cooperate. He also ALWAYS wants to breastfeed, something that I admit I have yet to really get *down* with the pouch slings, unless I’m sitting. The Ergo keeps Ez in his favorite spot — face-first into my boobs. (You can also do a hip and back carry with the Ergo, but I haven’t tried them yet.) I’ve nursed him handsfree everywhere — stores, the zoo, farmers’ markets, playgrounds — and carried him everywhere and I get ZERO back strain or pressure points. Dude, I’ve unloaded the dishwasher while the kid eats. I imagine you can do the same with some of the fancier (and prettier, no doubt) wrap-style slings…but…I don’t know. I like the sturdy buckles and clasps and such.
Conclusion!
So…if I had to do it all over again, I’d skip the Bjorn and the Hotsling, and go with either the New Native (IN THE PROPER SIZE) or the Rockin’ Baby. The Rockin’ Baby certainly gets the edge in the looks department, and there’s no doubt that the adjustability is a huge plus. (But it also can make you constantly second-guess yourself and adjust and re-adjust.) Then I’d get the Ergo later on, skipping the whole newborn insert thing.
And this is where everybody jumps into the comments section with completely different experiences and recommendations. Hooray!

31 Responses to “Baby Sling Smackdown”

We got lucky and got not one but two hand-me-down Baby Bjorn carriers. That was great because one was sized for me (petite fleur) and one for my husband (over six feet tall). I also bought a hotsling for airport travel because there are no metal bits. My boy is now 17 months and I still use the hotsling for airport travel though mostly just until the bags are checked.
The hard part is the only place that locally sells slings is Babies R Us and their selection is limited. It’s hard to commit that amount of money to something sight unseen.
If you’re handy with a sewing machine you can find patterns online and make your own. Me, not so much.

I’m on my second kid and am still a baby-wearing newbie. Hated the Hotsling – but I’m hopeful for the Beco Butterfly. It is a bit less bulky than the Ergo, but I think it works largely the same way. Here is another site that has reviewed a number of slings – Amy wasn’t kidding that it takes a lot of trial and error. Good luck! http://www.wanlifetolive.com/2008/11/im-baby-carrier-whore-part-2.html

I made my own Peanut Shell style pouch sling using a pattern on the internet and it worked just great. I just couldn’t commit to spending all that money if my son was going to hate it and he liked it fine. We never needed another sling.

I used a sling pouch long enough to take the “hands-free-baby” picture. He was not ammused and away it went!
Bjorn is good for my huband and his strong back, and pfft for me. I use the Snugli and am fairly content.
Don’t buy any of them. Ask everybody you know for used ones or for hook-ups for used ones. I also own a zillion-yards of cloth wrap, it little cousin the thousand-yards wrap, the Snugli and the Bjorn were loans and the pouch wrap I got at consignment.
Heck, I bet the comments would hook you up even – we all know they are expensive and more likely to be the wrong one than the right one. Good luck.

I had EXACTLY the same problems with the Bjorn and the New Native. I did have a custom-made (by a small business that no longer exists) adjustable-with-snaps pouch sling later that I loved. But I have heard such amazing things about the Ergo from such a wide variety of people that I think next time we have a baby I will be buying one first thing.
But as you said, Amy, I think slings/carriers just take a lot of trial and error.
Michelle, maybe you could send an email out to any friends with babies, asking if any of them have slings you could try out? That would be way of using them without the trouble of buying and returning the ones that don’t work.

My son is a chunkster (he was 28 lbs. at his 12 mo. appt.), and I am curvy, too. I started out with the Baby Bjorn Active, but even with the back support it started wearing on my shoulders. I loved my Hotsling in the early days for around the house (Target has offical Hotslings for less than you can buy them through the Hotsling website). I happened to buy one that fit just right, and it was my savior, as my son hated the bassinet, the swing, the bouncer, etc. — he only wanted to be held. We don’t use it anymore as he doesn’t like any of the hip or back holds. We now swear by the Ergo — the padded hip belt is great for keeping the weight off your back and on your hips.

I do love the pocket slings, but as you know the Hotslings are so expensive – especially if they end up not fitting correctly? Right?
That is totally what inspired me to make my own line of pouch slings and make some adjustments to the sizing issues. I have enjoyed this so much and it gives moms a little more flexibility with price, fabric, and sizes!
For me – the pouch sling is the way to go.http://www.danielleandersdesign.com

I tried a Maya sling and a custom-made ring sling, and truthfully I hated them both. My son never seemed comforable, and I was always so hot wearing them!
I ended up buying a Belle baby carrier (they’re made here in Colorado), and I loved it. The design is incredibly simple, just the pouch with two straps that go over your shoulders and criss-cross your back, and then snap into clasps on each hip. I was able to adjust it to pull him up high on my torso, and then lower him down a bit as he got heavier. The Belles aren’t cheap (mine was $90 retail), but I sold it on Craig’s List when I was done with it for $60, so not bad at all.

I love my Maya Wrap. It took me a minute figure it out but since then, no problem. I liked it when my daughter was 4 days old and I still like it now, at 2. And good God, that girl likes to nurse so there have been a lot of times I carried her in the sling so she could nurse and I could function. Totally sturdy and easy.
Plus it has a pocket which is very, very nice. If I’m wearing a child I don’t also want to wear a purse so I generally put my credit card or cash with keys and lip balm in the pocket and we’re off.
Plus, the Maya Wrap is good for both newborns and toddlers (up to 36 pounds) so I don’t see a need (at least for us with this particular baby) to buy more than one sling during her entire sling riding life.

I have a peanut shell sling, a bjorn and a moby. The sling was great when she was under 8 weeks, but now she is too big and it is too constricting. She always hated the bjorn and we gave up on it long ago. I was so hesitant to try the moby because it looked so confusing, but a coworker made me try theirs. My baby loves it, it is so much more comfortable than anything else we have tried and it really isn’t that confusing (I had it down after the first time we used it). I highly recommend it.

Ahhh. can’t. resist. giving. sling. recommendation. Too. hard…
I had that same Over The Shoulder Baby Holder in black and I used it religiously when my baby was tiny and I had to nurse her while caring for the two year old. OK. Wait, I had a hideous flowery blue one that I used at home and the nice black one I used out and about.
Then I got a ModMum sling at BlogHer last year and I never looked back. My 19mo still rides on my hip in that amazing pouch sling.
If I had to do it again I would use the same combo – ring sling for infant, pouch sling for bigger baby.
As for the double stroller? WAY overrated. If your son rarely rides in the stroller now you won’t need it at all. And on the rare occasions where you need transportation for both children it’s easier to sling/bjorn the baby and put the big one in the stroller than to navigate a double!

I loved my Baby Bjorn for the first 3 1/2-4 months. We were living in NYC at the time, so it was great for that lifestyle. Once my son chubbed up, though, I thought my back was going to break. We got an Ergo as a shower gift, but were also confused and scared by the DVD, so it’s sitting in my son’s closet! Glad to hear your comments about it…will break it out for baby #2 (when the time comes).

Ha! I have both a Bjorn AND a Hotsling…and I like both of them. The Bjorn has worked well for us since…6 weeks or so. The Hotsling was awesome for about 2 weeks of tiny newborn, then sat in my closet until my daughter was old enough to sit on my hip. Now we use it frequently, with her sitting on my hip. The sizing in strange though, I would probably suggest getting a size bigger than you would think.

We actually ended up at the same conclusions that you did. Loved the pouch sling for the newborn(we have a Peanut shell), and later on an ergo style carrier. The only other thing was that we had a big chunk of time (3-7 months)when we used the big wrappy sling so that our daughter could face outwards, I think the wrap slings are great to have and at least try, a lot of them are pretty reasonably priced so if it doesn’t work for you no big deal. Also, our pouch sling got a second life as soon as our daughter was able to sit on my hip, it’s great for carrying her around on my hip. Not great for long distances because she’s pretty heavy now, but great for things like food shopping, running around the airport for travel (it’s very fast to get her in and out), etc. So, in the end that’s what we used, pouch, wrap, ergo, pouch.

I never had a sling, and I’m sure it would have been easier for nursing, but I’ve LOVED my frontpack from day one. I use a mei tai (visit http://www.meitaibaby.com), which works from newborn on up and is one-size for the parent as well. As the name suggests, it ties on — first around the waist like an apron, and then over the shoulders, criss-cross, and back around the waist to tie in the front (they have a diagram on their web site). It can be work as a frontpack with baby facing in or out, or as a backpack. It’s pretty foolproof, though; I didn’t find it intimidating at all. Because it ties like this, pretty much anyone can wear it. I’m pretty curvy, and my husband, who is bigger, can also wear it and because it ties, there’s no fussing with adjustable whatsits. The bottom also adjusts, from wide to accommodate a newborn’s froggied legs to very narrow when baby is first letting the legs dangle in the breeze to various phases of wide again (although this requires that your purchase a little canvas strip with extra snaps on it for like $3). The drawback is that I’m not sure they’re returnable because the company (or possibly small group of work at home moms?) custom-makes them to your specs from a wide range of solid-color fabrics for the straps and decorative fabrics for the main part.

We also got lucky and got two hand-me-down Bjorns, one for me and one for my husband. We love them, largely because the baby loves them. She’s one of those infants who was trying to stand on our laps from day 1, so it was an absolute no-go with the pouch slings, which make her feel all smooshed and cranky (and she is not a cranky baby in general). I tried a Hotsling (after a struggle to get the right size), and she turned into a tiny baby board and screamed. So, I think it’s a lot about the baby.

If you are larger chested, I highly recommend a ring sling over a pouch due to the adjustability. I love my sling form http://www.sleepingbaby.net and the owner is very helpful about sizing. However, with a second baby it is good to also have a carrier that will allow you to be totally hands-free. In the beginning, I loved my Wrap and Wear, which comes in a thin gauzy fabric that is good for warmer weather. Yes, it is a pain to put on. But a wrap is great for a tiny baby and you have both hands free. Now that my baby is bigger I use the sling instead. Some people like structured carriers like the Ergo, but I find that those are better for women with smaller breasts. Or men. But it is a good idea to go to a baby boutique that has different carriers and try some on to see what you like. That is how I ended up with the Wrap and Wear.
As to the double stroller- my older daughter was 2.5 when her sister was born and we didn’t get a double. 6 months later and I’m still glad we didn’t. Once in a while it would be nice, like if I take both kids to the mall by myself. But that is rare, so it isn’t an issue. And if we are all out as a family it is easy to use 2 strollers, which we already have.

I loved my sit and stand stroller with a toddler and infant. I traveled a good amount with the two kids (without the husband) and it made airports much easier. And I often used it at places like the zoo, mall etc, to hold the younger one and the stuff, and made the older one walk.

My daughter had just turned three a week before my son was born. I thought about getting a double stroller, but I just couldn’t stomach the cost, so we didn’t. And I never regretted it. I used a front carrier a couple of times for the baby so my daughter could ride in the stroller, but she usually just walked. For trips to the zoo and such, a wagon was great. I could put the carseat with the baby and the three year old in it and go. And if my husband was with me, we’d sometimes each push a stroller (MUCH easier to handle than a double stroller). But mostly, I just made my daughter walk, with surprisingly few complaints.

I had about eight million baby carriers and used them all at different moments. The New Native-style pouch (I made my own to get the right size, which was really easy to do) was great for rocking our tiny baby to sleep. I liked the Moby for walks with the tiny bub because it felt more secure, though.
When he was no longer tiny, we went to a state of all-Ergo all-the-time. I used it, my husband used it, my mom used it. The Ergo is essentially a reinforced canvas mei tei but a lot more secure-feeling, in my opinion. It is the Sherman tank of baby carriers. We still use it on occasion with our 26-month-old.

Claire – I make sure Ezra’s legs are kind of wrapped *up* around my waist, so his butt is sitting as low in the Ergo as possible. And then I angle my boob up a little and let Ezra figure the rest out. It definitely requires a bit more boob-mashing than regular nursing, but if your baby is determined to eat, they seem to be able to make it happen.
(Although the first time I tried it, I admit that I missed Ezra’s mouth and ended up with a big old hickey on my boob.)
And I can’t believe I forgot about the double stroller PS. My advice is totally to wait, especially if you end up having luck with a sling or carrier. When I’m out by myself, I usually put Ez in the Ergo and Noah in a shopping cart or Maclaren unbrella stroller. When Jason and I go out together, he corrals Noah and Ez is either in the Ergo or in his carseat/stroller frame thing.
That said, we DID buy a Phil & Ted’s stroller with the doubles kit. Jason likes it when he takes the boys out and it’s great for long walks. It’s big and heavy though, and I’m a little intimidated by it to use it at like, a narrow little Starbucks, or something. I think we’ll use it more for long outings in the summer (babywearing will be HOT in DC humidity), especially when Ez can sit in a seat instead of needing to lie down in the Cocoon thing (he hates lying down on his back). It handles AWESOME though — seriously the easiest stroller to steer we’ve ever owned. And we’ve owned a lot of strollers.

I did the ring sling/mei tai combination. Slings are great for quick outings, but awkward for bigger babies. I still use the mei tai for my 1.5 yr old. He rides on my back and loves it. Husband likes the mei tai too.
As for strollers, I have just a single one (boys are 3.5 yrs apart). But, I’ve known people who bought two cheap (ie, kolkraft) umbrella strollers and clipped them together (you can buy special clips) for times when they needed a double stroller but didn’t want to spend a mint. Like international air travel with two children and one parent.

We also have an Ergo with infant insert that has been collecting dust in our closet. Now that my daughter is a bit older, I am excited to try it out. But I keep waiting, not sure if she is big enough yet to use without the insert (she is 3 1/2 months). The Ergo website says you can use the infant insert with infants up to 4-6 months, but I imagine you can toss the insert before then? Their website also says the insert is no longer needed when baby can hold her head up for long periods of time (she can) and is comfortable with her hips in a splayed position (and this is what I am sort of unsure about). Any of the Ergo lovers, when did you first start using it without the infant sert?

For the Ergo, I got rid of the infant insert around 3.5 months, although if it is still cold where you live, you can continue to use the infant insert for extra warmth, but sit the baby in the traditional Ergo manner (not tilted to the side). The Ergo is definitely much easier without the insert!

I have a one-month old daughter and an Ergo (with infant insert). I have to admit, I love it! The infant insert wraps around the baby, making her into a little burrito that I can just pop into the carrier. She loves it and will fall asleep almost instantly when she’s put in there. Plus, the insert keeps her quite warm, which I appreciate as we enter spring, where it’s warm enough that my 3-year-old wants to be outside, but still cool enough that I worry about the baby.
However, be forewarned if you get an ergo and also have a c-section. Every time I use it right now, I pay in the form of abdominal pain. The waist belt just puts a ton of pressure on my incision. As a result, I’ve been using the carrier only when I absolutely must have my hands free. Also, if you’re fat (like me), the ergo may not sit quite right on your hips, and you’ll end up carrying the baby’s weight on your stomach pooch rather than your hips.

I bought (and promptly returned) two baby bjorns (one active, one regular) and a hotsling. The fabric on the hotsling was too scratchy and my sister in law told me even after many repeated washings hers was scratchy. The baby bjorn made my daughter scream and I hated having all the extra straps hanging around (i’m on the smaller side). Plus I had nightmares about the bodily damage I could be doing to my innocent baby by dangling her by her crotch for hours at a time.
I kept a peanut shell sling which I purchased in microfleece to avoid the whole scratchy problem. It was a wonderful item to have for my winter baby and she would sleep hours and hours in it as a newborn. The only downside was it really took a toll on my back and shoulders. Otherwise I loved it!
I also kept the Ergo. I agree that the infant insert is soooooo not necessary. Meanwhile, the sucking pads are brilliant! The baby is 3 months old and I have started putting her in it the regular way…with out the infant insert. She kind of fits but I can see that as time goes on she will do better. We’ve been spending a few minutes in it each day to get used to it and I think it should soon be the de facto way that I carry her.
I am tempted to also try the Beco because I hear it works well for smaller-sized gals and there are some aspects of the Ergo fit that I don’t love. Although I do feel that I have already spent an obnoxious amount of money on baby carrying when in reality I haven’t carried the baby so much other than in the sling for a few days before I had to go to the chiropractor. I am thinking about justifying it to myself by designating the Ergo for the husband and a Beco for me.
I also have the Moby. Ohhh, it’s intimidating but I watched a few YouTube videos and it’s really not that bad once you get the hang of it. But the baby doesn’t really dig it…yet.
I also ordered —see, I told you this was getting obnoxious— the Tri-cotti which is kind of a morph between two slings and a Moby. Super cool in concept but I am not sure if it will really work for us.
So in a nutshell my baby carrying fantasy is this — Ergo for husband, Beco and Tricotti for me. I will still give Moby a second chance.

Its definetly a personal preference of course. but my baby is 4.5 months old and she has been worn since the day she was born she is very spoiled and needs to be held all the time so i have tried all the wearing devices.. i found that the maya sling is great for portable nursing.. if im at a resturant or want to go shopping i just throw her in there and nurse as i walk. the other ones i found i couldnt adjust as well to nurse her. but i also have the new baby bjorn is the synergy and for me it was so worth the money. i can and hae walked around with her in it for hours. its mesh so its breatable and i love the lower back support. my daughter hates strollers her grandmother is her nanny and she is ruining her.. thats another post all together. but i throw her in the baby bjorn and take the dogs for a walk everyday plus my husband dosent mind wearing it.. hope that helped..